GS 70: Letter to the Parliamentary Relations Team, Foreign and Commonwealth Office

from the Committee Specialist

 

 

The Committee today discussed the Government's reply to its Report on Global Security: Iran. It has asked me to write to you with follow-up questions on some of the issues emerging from the Government's reply.

 

The Committee notes the statement that the EU is "prepared to further develop" its June 2006 proposals. It would welcome more detail on how these proposals might be developed.

 

The Committee would like to know how UK and EU policy towards the Mujahedin-e-Khalq (MeK) will change given the failure of the Home Secretary to overturn the judgment of the Prescribed Organisations Appeal Commission. The Committee would like to know what progress has been made in laying an Order before Parliament repealing the proscription of the organisation.

 

The Committee would like further information on the recent arrests of leading figures amongst the Bahá'í community in Iran, and on whether the Government has raised this issue with the Iranian authorities.

 

The Committee also notes the Government's response to its conclusion on the support originating within Iran for Iraqi insurgents, and looks forward to the separate letter that the Government is writing to the Committee on this issue.

 

I would be grateful if the Committee could receive a response on these issues by Friday 11 July 2008.

 

 

11 June 2008